Your wedding photographs will help shape your memory of the day so it makes sense to give your photographer a bit of a grilling before making a final decision. There is certainly no shortage of choice, with a dizzying array of packages, styles, albums, print and disk options, levels of coverage, and costs it can very quickly become confusing as to exactly who is offering what service and for what money. Also there is the question of trust. Who are they? Will you get on with them? Can you be sure they will deliver the images you want?
Below I have outlined 10 questions to ask your wedding photographer to help cut through the confusion.
To help cut through the uncertainty we have prepared a handy list of questions to weed out those who might not be up to scratch:
1. Who will be taking the photos?
Make sure that the person you have been dealing with is the same person who will with you on the day. There are a lot of organisations out there who farm out work for a commission to other photographers, this means you can have a complete stranger turning up to photograph your wedding who may not be as experienced or talented as the person you thought you booked with. Always clarify in writing exactly who it is that will be with you both and taking the photos.
2. Are you insured?
Insurance is vital and it would be foolhardy to book any professional service that isn’t fully covered. Accidents do happen at weddings, I personally know one photographer who knocked over a stone font in a church worth £10,000 smashing it to pieces and another who knocked over the brides Grandmother while stepping backwards to frame a shot resulting in a broken hip. Both these instances the photographers were insured by their Public Liability and Professional Indemnity cover but had they not have been it could have potentially been disastrous for the bride and groom. Ask to see a copy of the insurance certificate or better yet many insurers now post confirmation online. You can see ours here.
3. Are all the images in your portfolio from a wedding?
A new trick that a lot of photographers seem to be using is to hire in professional models for a day and mock up a wedding shoot. While there is no doubt this can lead to stunning images as the photographer is free from the time constraints that a wedding normally places on him or her it may not be representative of the standard of images that will be produced on the day. A professional photographer can spend hours setting up a single image with a model whereas during a wedding you can be lucky to get 10 minutes to work with a bride. Just check that the work your photographer will be producing under pressure is the same standard as is advertised. A great way to check this is to ask……….
4. Can I see a complete wedding album?
Any photographer will pick out the best images to advertise their work but to get a feel for their overall quality ask to see a complete album as presented to a couple. Any photographer confident in his or her ability should be more than happy to provide access to a web album so you can see the quality of their work overall (for example you can see one of mine here) If they seem reluctant then it may be time to look elsewhere.
5. Are you a member of an accredited organisation?
Professional accreditation is the closest you can get to a guarantee of quality. Any accredited society should have a code of conduct that the photographer agrees to abide with (take a look at the one from the Guild of Photographers here) and this means there is a clear expectation of quality and consistency is their work. Also, should the worse happen it gives you a line of appeal in the event of a dispute.
6. Can I see a copy of your contract?
If a photographer didn’t put forward a formal written agreement when you booked I would be very wary indeed. A contract safeguards both you and the photographer by clearly defining exactly what you can expect from each other in terms of coverage on the wedding day and access to the images thereafter and if this isn’t formally set down you are leaving yourself wide open to big problems. Insist on seeing a copy of the contract before you pay the deposit and don’t be afraid to ask questions about the details.
7. What happens if you are incapacitated on the day?
This is a tough question to give a concise answer to as it depends dramatically on the circumstances but I would expect any professional photographer to take all reasonable precautions to make sure they will be with you on your wedding day. The minimum I would expect is for the photographer run a well maintained vehicle, have backups of all major items of equipment and batteries and to be part of a network on whom he or she could call on should the worst happen.
8. Do I receive a copy of the images on disk?
Many photographers these days include some or all the images on disk, if this is the case you must clarify:
9. Who has copyright over the photos?
This again is a bit of a grey area. Many photographers retain the rights to their images and as such keep the copyright however they will hand to a customer the print rights. This means you are free to reproduce the images in any way you would like (email, prints, canvases, Facebook, etc) but you can’t enter them in competitions or sell them for profit. However always check what you will and will not be able to do with the images once you receive them.
10. How many other weddings will you be covering the same day?
It is not uncommon for photographers to cover two weddings on busy days and providing you only want your photographer for a few hours (say, to cover the ceremony) this shouldn’t be a problem. However if you want the photographer longer then you want to check just how flexible he or she can be with you. After all you don’t want them rushing off too soon if your ceremony is delayed for any reason.
Good luck organising your day and I hope the information above helps make it that little bit less stressful. Don’t forget there are many excellent, honest wedding photographers out there who work very hard on building a decent reputation and providing a great service. Just don’t be afraid to ask the questions and do the research and I am sure you will find the right one.
Photography by Adrian Spencer of Will Hey Wedding Photography, a professional wedding photographer based in the High Peak near Buxton and Stockport and covering Derbyshire, Cheshire, Manchester and Sheffield.
When it comes to wedding photography in Cheshire there are few venues that I can think of with more style and personality the magnificent Capesthorne Hall. Situated just outside of Alderley Edge this distinctive Jacobean style house sits resplendent in over 100 acres of immaculate park land and manages to create a timeless feel for all those who are lucky enough to visit. The house and grounds have been kept in immaculate condition and for those who are looking to get married here I can say that their formal catering and service quality is impeccable.
Capesthorne Hall also boasts some of the best settings I have ever been lucky enough to work with, including this stunning bridge as pictured below as well as tree lined gazebos, wrought iron gates, a magnificent stair well and the elegant State Dressing Room. As a photographer I could have spent an entire day shooting around the house and gardens as there are simply endless opportunities here. To see a few more images from the day please take a look at the album on our Facebook page.
For any couples looking for somewhere that bit different and special to get married I could not recommend it highly enough – but be warned that the price tag is not for the faint hearted!
Photography by Adrian Spencer of Will Hey Wedding Photography, a professional wedding photographer based in the High Peak near Buxton and Stockport and covering Derbyshire, Cheshire, Manchester and Sheffield.
A wedding by its very nature is fluid and more than a little unpredictable. Perhaps because it is strung out on high tension, drama and probably a glass or two of champagne a photographer has to be ready for just about anything. But, in all the drama and fluster it is easy to get swept along and end up overlooking the little touches and personal details that make a wedding more than just another day. Often these can be tiny things, such as a brand of wine, a candle or a even a type of flower. Perhaps the place settings or arrangement of the tables have a special significance, maybe an item of jewelry the groom is wearing has an important family connection. Whatever these personal touches happen to be it is vital that a photographer takes a step back and makes the time to find these things out. Why is it so important? Simply, these are the things that have received the most thought and these are the things that will mean the most to a husband and wife when they look back at these images over the next 50 years or so.
The best place to start looking for these small details is with the bride. More often than not a bride's appearance will have received more careful attention than any other aspect of the wedding which is why a photographer can easily spend an hour in the morning before the ceremony constructing shots around the shoes, garter, dress, perfume, bouquet, veil, tiara, and rings, and this is without even thinking about what the brides maids are wearing! As a style of photography these details shots are quite unique, certainly at no other point during the day can a photographer afford to spend so much time setting up a single image but then again these images can also be some of the most rewarding.
When it comes to constructing the detail shots it helps to be prepared. I take to every wedding a white voile (the shoes and rings in image above are sat on it) to use as a cover in case there are no suitable back drops and a reflector to even out the light. Just recently I have purchased some padded silk hangers as I very quickly got sick and tired of photographing stunning dresses on plastic coat hangers (I mean come on dress shops, with what people spend on a wedding dress can you not provide something a bit nicer!)
Every wedding is unique and every bride and groom want something different from their images, certainly one of the most important duties of a photographer is to ensure that he or she clearly understands what his clients are looking for. There is no doubt that capturing these little details and personal touches will give the finished album that extra touch of quality and, hopefully, lead to delighted customers who will enjoy the images for years to come.
Photography by Adrian Spencer of Will Hey Wedding Photography, a professional wedding photographer based in the High Peak near Buxton and Stockport and covering Derbyshire, Cheshire, Manchester and Sheffield.
When it comes to wedding photography the Moorside Grange Hotel has some simply stunning opportunities. Tucked away at the top of Disley in the heart of the Peak District's rolling hills and sitting on the border between Cheshire and Derbyshire its rural setting gives it commanding views over Lyme Park (where they filmed 'Pride and Prejudice' don't you know) and the surrounding moorland.
As if being set in an area of outstanding natural beauty wasn't enough the hotel also has a fantastic luxury spa and gym, perfect for any bride looking to relax before her big day!
Despite it's rural setting the Moorside is quite centrally located being less than an hour from Manchester and only a little more from Sheffield. Anybody looking for activities for guests can find golf, shooting, canoeing and even quad biking near by. For those of a slightly less adventurous disposition there are some stunning walks and great shopping in the nearby spa town of Buxton.
Photography by Adrian Spencer of Will Hey Wedding Photography, a professional wedding photographer based in the High Peak near Buxton and Stockport and covering Derbyshire, Cheshire, Manchester and Sheffield.
I have been lucky enough to be asked to photograph a few weddings at Shrigley Hall in Cheshire and I must say it is one of my favourite venues in the North West. It has a classic feel, with its grand hallway and marble pillars, but at the same time the Barcello brand has brought in a fresh, light, contemporary energy to the hotel and the level of service it provides.
As a venue it boasts a world class golf course, a stunning lake with a charming woodland surround and a grand stair case that is a dream for any bride and groom as well as any photographer to use! If you would like to see a few more of our images from the venue please take a look at our Facebook page.
Photography by Adrian Spencer of Will Hey Wedding Photography, a professional wedding photographer based in the High Peak near Buxton and Stockport and covering Derbyshire, Cheshire, Manchester and Sheffield.
